Anyone have first hand experience tuning nitro engines on the bench and not on the track?

Personally... I think it takes track conditions to really get a motor to the " sweet " spot...

Many time i though i had the tune nailed in the pits and then pull my truck/bug of the track ethier faaaat or burning up...

I may just be a bad tunner though... Ive seen scott sternburg (sp?) still at his pit and rev his engine and teek the needles to what seems to be a perfect tune!

ya he is damn good, me and my dad are ok but he knows his chit, same with Aaron Pucci that guy is a god

I'm going to try this from Josh Cyrul:

http://www.cefx.net/tips/nitro/tuning/index.php

..what do you guys think?

I think he makes some great points... But a full turn on some engines needles can be really extreme... But he is a pro so he knows what up

i now he is a pro, but i really dont see any reason to do any of that, you will end up more confused and most likely more off tune on ur motors than before u started. I remember his breakin in method it had something to do with "run it at WOT till it pops" or some crap like that.

once u have a motor tuned it should nto change much. Once the idle screw is set dont mess with it anymore. clear out your motor a few times and listen to the idle. Like he said it should not drop etc but most motors will never idle for 45 seconds. once u get the bottom set, make sure to set the top to be a little rich, if it is whinning out on the bench then u risk damage on the track. He makes some decent points and some of his tuning methods are good, but all the flooding the engine and that crap is really bizarre and i wouldnt ever do it

some of his technique is what aviation guys do.

yeah i used to do that when i was a newb...........I would put my t-maxx into neutral (yes neutral where i have thewheels on the ground and I rev the engine and it doesnt move) and go full WOT and tune the high speed....i guess i did it wrong cause i always blew plugs

Good point mike. I know i wouldnt have the "onions" to go and change all my needles like that! LOL!

can't you always go back to "factory settings" and then do it again?

Obviously if you have a third, midrange needle, I would futz with it. Just the HS and LS needles.

but who realy knows what the factory settings are after awhile?!?!? I know all my novas never said... 4 turns ls... 3 turns hs...

factory settings are usually pig rich so u dont blow ur crap up

Also to clean the motor of any particles, it's a wash out for starting break in.

I've not seen need for significant changes in settings from the last run unless there has been a major change in weather. I keep a record of temperature, humidity, and pressure from the last time I ran.

You run around with thermometers and such?! lol.....



Yeah I've noticed my tune isn't ever very far off from optimal unless there's a huge weather change.